Efeitos da ingestão do suco de acerola em mulheres submetidas a um treino específico de treinamento funcional de alta intesidade

Abstract

Acerola stands out for its high content of ascorbic acid and flavonoids. Flavonoids have antioxidant and chelating properties. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of acerola have already been demonstrated in vitro and in vivo. However, to our knowledge, the effects of acerola juice supplementation on exercise have not yet been investigated. High-intensity functional training is organized into daily sessions consisting of a combination of functional gymnastic movements, weight lifting, strength and endurance, with little or no recovery time. The dynamism and improvement in physical fitness have been key to its increasing popularity, with great adherence, motivation and involvement from participants. However, the practice of HIFT results in substantial metabolic stress, leading to disturbances in the immune system. Despite the growing popularity and high energy demand inherent in this sport, there are still gaps in supplementation that can attenuate immune responses and improve performance. Various nutritional strategies are used to improve the sports performance of practitioners, however, most of them are empirical and lack scientific evidence. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the effects of six days of acerola juice supplementation on women practicing HIFT. Sixteen women took part in the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. The volunteers consumed six doses of acerola juice (ACE) or a placebo drink (PLA) during 5 days prior to the test workout and two hours before the workout. The test workout consisted of a 5-minute warmup, followed by the maximum number of repetitions performed in 20 minutes of a combination of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups and 15 squats. The total number of repetitions did not differ significantly between the groups. However, there was a difference in the hematological responses. The group that consumed ACE had a higher number of red blood cells, hemoglobin and hematocrit after five days of supplementation. The PLA group was more susceptible to red blood cell disorders caused by exercise. The overall and differential leukocyte count was not altered by either exercise or supplementation. Thus, supplementation with acerola juice improved parameters of the red blood series, but did not influence the leukocyte response and performance.